Field of the Invention
The embodiments described herein are generally directed to a camera, and, more particularly, to an integrated mini-camera device that can be detached from and attached to the main body of a larger device, such as a smartphone or other mobile computing device.
Description of the Related Art
Many, if not most, mobile devices these days are outfitted with one or more built-in or embedded cameras. Examples of such mobile devices include, without limitation, cellular or other wireless telephones (e.g., smartphones), tablet personal computers (PCs), laptop PCs, wearable devices (e.g., smart watches) and any other type of mobile (e.g., wireless) user equipment. Typically, the built-in camera is a small-complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) based or charge-coupled-device (CCD) based image sensor that comprises associated control components and electronics.
A user of the mobile device can use the built-in camera to capture high-resolution digital photographs and videos, similarly to a traditional digital camera. For a rear-facing camera in which the components (e.g., camera, flash, and sensor) are on the rear side of the mobile device, the user typically faces the rear side of the mobile device towards the object of interest and actuates a control on the mobile device (e.g., virtual button within a graphical user interface displayed on a front display of the mobile device, hard key on the front or side of the mobile device, etc.) to capture a photograph or video of the object. The mobile device then stores the photograph or video as a digital image file (e.g., a Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) file) in a memory of the mobile device.
Generally, the user can utilize software on the mobile device to organize, edit, transmit, and/or share the captured digital photograph or video files. For example, the digital file may be transmitted via a wireless communications network (e.g., cellular network, Wi-Fi™ network, etc.) to a cloud-computing service, to another device (e.g., associated with another user or the same user), and/or the like. In the case of a video, the user may conduct a video conference (e.g., via FaceTime™, Skype™, or other application). Alternatively, the user may live-stream a video to an online service (e.g., social media platform, such as Facebook™) via the wireless communication network. Other users may then view the live-stream of the video via a data connection with the online service. As another alternative, one user could live-stream a video directly from his or her mobile device to another user's device.
Since the inception of the camera phone in 1997, users have become increasingly comfortable using the built-in cameras of their mobile devices as a primary camera for photographs and video, in place of traditional stand-alone handheld cameras. Thus, manufacturers have begun designing their mobile devices to enhance the quality, usability, and functionality of the built-in cameras. However, built-in cameras remain difficult to use in conjunction with other functions of the mobile devices.
For example, when the need arises to use the built-in camera to capture a photograph or video while a user is engaged in a telephone conversation using the mobile device, the user must generally interrupt the telephone conversation to position the mobile device for the capture. Specifically, the user may need to switch the telephone conversation to speakerphone, in order to enable appropriate positioning of the mobile device for photograph or video capture. In addition, the user must maintain the mobile device within a comfortable range of the user's ears and mouth, in order to continue the telephone conversation while attempting to capture a photograph or video. It also results in a loss of privacy, since both sides of the conversation may be heard by passerby's. In addition, the user may need to navigate to a camera function of the mobile device (e.g., using a touch panel display of the mobile device) in order to initiate the capture of the photograph or video.
What is needed is an integrated but detachable mini-camera that can be detached from the main body of a mobile device and used to capture photographs and video without regard for the orientation of the main body. Ideally, the mini-camera could be reattached to the main body of the mobile device for recharging and compact, integrated storage of the mini-camera.